1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a comprehensive stain removal kit. More particularly, it relates to a portable kit containing single use packets of various spotting agents and a stain guide directing use of the various spotting agents to effectively remove any type of known or unknown stain.
2. The Prior Art
Effective stain removal, particularly from delicate fabrics or expensive garments, has heretofore been relegated to commercial dry cleaning establishments. Stain removal is a complex art in that many different spotting agents are available to choose from depending on the nature of the stain and the material involved. The process is further complicated by the fact that improper use of the spotting agent can result in the undesirable effect of further setting the stain rather than removing it. In addition, many spotting agents have strict packaging and handling requirements, and special application methods. Finally, the difficulties of properly disposing of sizable quantities of these chemicals have limited their use to the aforementioned commercial dry cleaning establishments.
Certain attempts have been made to provide simplified cleaning products for home use. U.S. Pat. No. 2,980,941 to Miller, U.S. Pat. No. 3,686,125 to Miller and U.S. Pat. No. 3,993,190 to Schmidgall disclose various methods for delivering a cleaning solution for stain removal. While certain benefits are derived from the simplicity of providing a single cleaning agent, such compound may not be safe for all fabrics and will not be able to remove all stain types, particularly combination stains.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,238,587 to Smith et al and U.S. Pat. No. 5,547,476 to Siklosi et al propose dry cleaning chemicals for use within a residential clothes dryer. In many instances this may be as inconvenient as patronizing a commercial dry cleaning establishment. In addition, only a limited number of materials specify that they should be dry cleaned only.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a comprehensive stain removal kit which can be conveniently used at any time, on any fabric, to remove any type of known or unknown stain.